Tina Alverado is a huge fan of Rachael Ray. She has watched Ray
since 2001 when the Emmy-winning celebrity chef first whipped up “30 Minute
Meals” on the Food Network.

It’s safe to say, Alverado is an even bigger fan now.

On Wednesday, Ray will co-host her “Rachael Ray” talk show with
Regis Philbin from the Alverado’s home in Breinigsville. The episode titled “Direct
From Your Couch” will air at 10 a.m. on WPVI-6 and marks the first time Ray has
ever taped an entire episode from a viewer’s home.

“It was amazing,” says Tina Alverado. “We were excited beyond
words. It was a once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity.”

For the show, the family received an entire living room makeover
by decorating pro, John Gidding of “Curb Appeal” and a turkey-carving lesson with
Philbin. Ray have tips on cooking with Thanksgiving leftovers and they family
had a visit from another “sweet” celebrity that Alverado is not allowed to
reveal.

Alverado, who runs catering business called Bon Appetina, says
she answered an online request from the show to create a video to convince Ray
to tape an episode at her house. Alverado’s video was chosen from more than
1,100 entries.

She says she made a short, funny video, in which she enlisted
friends and her daughter to be a “studio audience,” inspired by a visit to the
Rachael Ray show in New York in September. Alverado says she ended the video
with the humorous send-off “Your peeps can call my peeps.. except I don’t have
any peeps.”

She says the show called her and told her she was “in the running”
and needed to do one last interview on Nov. 10. To Alverado’s surprise, the
family was taken outside and told they had won.

Tina, her husband Ray and their daughters, Ciara, 13 and Kiana,
17 were whisked off to a hotel for three night so the “Rachael Ray” crew could
do their magic.

“We were not allowed to go near our own house,” Alverado says.

On Nov. 13, the family was brought back for the taping and it was
“one big surprise after another,” Alverado says. “My husband and I were on
cloud nine and the girls were loving every minute of it.”

The family enjoyed spending the day-long shoot with both
co-hosts.

“Rachael Ray was so pleasant and down to earth,” Alverado says. “Regis
was Regis. He was talkative and such a funny, great guy. It was such an amazing
experience.”

RACHAEL RAY

What: Ray and co-host Regis Philbin taped the entire episode “Direct
From Your Couch” from the Alverado home in Breinigsville.